The BBC has launched its dramatisation of the life of Jimmy Savile – the disgraced entertainer reviled for his years of sexual abuse. 

The four-part series, titled The Reckoning and starring Steve Coogan, tracks Savile’s rise to becoming one of the biggest stars in television and will also focus on his life in the shadows, and the impact he had on his victims – four of whom have waived their anonymity and feature in the series. 

When the project was announced three years ago the BBC faced criticism for giving its disgraced ex-presenter's life airtime.  

Our reviewer Alison Rowat describes the series as “harrowing”, having watched each episode on Iplayer. 

We want to know – should the BBC have produced the drama? Vote not in our online poll:  

READ MORE: Alison Rowat reviews The Reckoning 

Here’s what Alison said: “Whether you watched or not I think it is worth exploring why this particular drama based on a true crime has been so controversial.  

“Does it let the BBC off the hook, as some of the corporation’s critics claim? And at a time when the true crime industry is booming, via podcasts, blogs, radio, books, television, cinema, is The Reckoning proof that we are losing the plot? 

“True crime, if it does nothing else, shines a light into the darkness. Tries to explain the seemingly inexplicable. If not for television dramas and books and podcasts these stories would be forgotten. Society would not learn anything from the experience, increasing the risk that the crime could happen again.” 

The Reckoning, BBC1, 9pm, all four episodes on iPlayer